Thursday, 26 March 2015

Everyone talks about "Hudud" and how it's uncivilized and does not stand a place in Malaysia. But do you know enough about it to make such a judgement?Long associated in the non-Muslim world with severe punishments such as stoning and amputations, the system of traditional Islamic law known as Hudud is often criticised but rarely understood. I believe that the Syariah Law can be adapted to modern conditions without abandoning the spirit of Islamic law or its religious foundations. Muslims are held accountable to the Syariah Law, but non-Muslims are not bound by the same standard (apostasy from Allah). Muslims and non-Muslims are both required to live by laws enacted by the various forms of government such as tax laws, traffic laws, white collar crimes of business, and theft. These and many other crimes similar to Common Law crimes are tried in modern Courts. The Courts can also hear civil law, family law, and all other cases. Islamic Law does have separate courts for Muslims for "religious crimes" and contemporary non-religious courts for other criminal and civil matters.

In my humble opinion, endorsing for Shariah Law (Hudud) is a Muslim right. Non-Muslims also have their right protected under our democracy constitution. In 628 AD, Prophet Muhammad wrote a letter to the Christian monks at St Catherine Monastery at the foot of Mount Sinai. In his letter, Muhammad outlined how Muslims should treat Christian and also touched upon human rights, including freedom of conscience and freedom of worship. Muslims are bound to the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed whose translation of Allah or God's will is found in the Quran. In Holy Quran there is a Surah title Al-Kafirun (the Disbelievers), The last verse in the surah is "Lakum deenakum wa liya deen," meaning for "you is your religion, and for me is my religion". A simple phrase that holds the power of disconnectedness in spite of our differences.

Note:The Ideal Muslim Society is a book wrote by Dr. Muhammad Ali Al-Hashimi is a good read to understand Islamic Governance.